In my previous post on this subject, I stressed the importance of making it easy for consumers to take action by clearly indicating in your advertising what it is you want them to do.  You need to lead consumers with verbal and visual cues to generate a desired response.

Experienced direct response copywriters know that a call to action is strongest when repeated.  Some espouse to a “tell ‘em what you want ‘em to do, tell ‘em to do it, and tell ‘em again” philosophy.  Experienced direct response art directors like to employ techniques like “handwritten” margin notes, highlighted copy blocks, and graphic design elements that grab attention and move the consumer’s eye towards a call to action. Read more…

George Lois was perhaps the greatest print art director of the 20th Century. This image is from an impressive 2008 MOMA exhibit of his electrifying work at Esquire magazine. If he were alive today, George would also be a provocateur on the web.

…just like the Michael McDonald, James Ingram song.

When print comes back, it won’t be “like it never left”. There will be far fewer printers, budgets will be even tighter and volume will be smaller. Many printers will not have survived the recession and the sobering declaration of 2008, “Print is Dead”.

Mass mailings, elaborate annual reports, and newspaper ads… OK, those ARE disappearing. But, targeted, personalized direct mail and print advertising…
Not going away. Not ever. I talked to a printer last week and he framed the situation by pointing out the shift from ink to toner. That’s an enormous change, (and it’s certainly not for everyone,) but I find it encouraging because it means that personalization is very much alive in the printing world.

And when print comes back, I’m going to be there with a grin on my face, complete with my Pantone books, paper samples, metal rulers, #2 pencils with erasers, graph paper thumbnails, circle templates, folding dummies and business reply envelopes. Believe it! Read more…